FRANCHISE NOTES

The Marlins have "dropped" their five-year P.A.
announcer Jay Rokeach, but his dismissal was "not
financially motivated." Marlins VP/Sales & Marketing Jim
Ross said that the team "wanted to make a change for
creative reasons." The team is considering several
candidates to replace Rokeach (MIAMI HERALD, 3/20)....The
76ers will change the start time of Monday-Saturday night
home games next season, moving them up a half-hour to 7:00pm
(PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 3/20)....The situation involving
former employees of Rocketball Ltd., who had threatened to
bring charges of race discrimination and sexual harassment
against the organization, has been "resolved." No details
were released, and no legal action will proceed (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 3/2)....Through Monday, the Mariners had sold a
club record 18,416 season tickets. At the same time last
year, the club had sold 17,760 (SEATTLE TIMES, 3/19).